Archive for the ‘Cuisine’ Category

The Trout Point kitchen emphasizes what is fresh & local: organic produce, herbs, wild foods, and sustainable seafood. The Lodge has had its culinary talents praised by a variety of sources, including Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, and ForbesTraveler. Trout Point’s chef/proprietors previously operated one of Louisiana first certified organic farms, Chicory Farm, as well as the acclaimed Chicory Farm Cafe in New Orleans, and count among just a handful of North Americans inducted into the French Guilde des fromagers in 1994. They also cooked at Costa Rica’s Inn at Coyote Mountain and have taught cooking classes in Granada, Spain.

Grilled sustainable swordfish skewers on a bed of spaghettini with Spanish saffron and organic maitake mushrooms

Local Ruisseau oyster with Brie & bacon jam from the Yarmouth Farmer’s Market

Nigel Richardson of The Telegraph has said: “In one place, decor and cuisine came together in a glorious synthesis of international quality and style. That place was Trout Point, a wilderness lodge in the western interior where refugees from Louisiana have created a Cajun-Acadian gastronomy of simple excellence. That night I dined on squash blossoms stuffed with beef and crabmeat, sat around a camp fire and watched the merest flickering of the aurora borealis in the northern sky.”

Trout Point started planting seeds for this season’s garden more than a month ago and the results have been fantastic! The Lodge now has three major garden areas: at the main lodge, at Beaver Hall, and the largest garden off the East Branch Road. The 5 Lodge alpacas plus organic waste from the kitchen provide for world-class fertilizer.

This recipe using Atlantic Acadian primary ingredients also draws on tried-and-true techniques of New Orleans, with its use of the classic “holy trinity” of bell pepper, onion, and celery, combined with a special mix of aromatic spices and herbs. Toast some of the spices in a dry saute pan over medium- to low heat until they turn aromatic, before adding them to this dish.

Technique
1. Steam the whole, live lobster, reserving the steaming water left in pot. Allow the lobster to cool; shuck, and then cut the meat from the lobster into bite size pieces. Reserve.

2. Keep the head and shells for making the stock.

3, Place the lobster head and shells into stock pot along with the reserved lobster cooking liquid; add enough water to get a total of 6 cups of liquid; bring this to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off and reserve. You may want to filter the stock before using in the step below.

4. Heat the oil in a soup pot or large sauce pan until hot, but not smoking.

5 .Add the flour to the hot oil; stir constantly on medium heat until the mixture turns the color of a brown paper bag,

7 .Add the chopped fresh vegetables (except parsley and okra or green bean) into the oil & flour mixture, stir and cook for about two minutes.

8. Add the spice and seasoning ingredients, stir and cook for about a minute.

9. Add the lobster stock to the pot and bring to a simmer; cook for about 12 minutes (do not let soup boil; otherwise you will have to skim the foam off the top before serving).

10. Blend all the ingredients except the bay leaf in a blender on high until creamed, return the contents of the blender to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Note: Everything before now can be done in advance before moving to the next step. The following steps should be done 5 minutes before serving.

11. Once the blended mixture has reached a simmer, add a handful of cleaned okra cut into 1 inch size pieces or green beans cut into 2-inch size pieces (for the okra remove heals and tips, in the case of green beans remove side strings). Simmer for about 3 minutes.

12. Add the reserved lobster meat and cook only enough to warm the meat over medium-low heat, about two minutes.

The Seafood Cookery Cookery course focuses on the use of different fish and shellfish, including selection & freshness, various cooking techniques, making ceviche, and home smoking methods. It also exposes participants to Mediterranean, Creole, Acadian French, and Cajun cooking styles. During the class the instructors and students will together create seafood-based meals, from appetizers and soups to entrees, breads, and desserts. This unique cooking vacation will introduce participants to the culture and history of French New World cuisines as well as the principles of Mediterranean Cuisine, including the cooking and culture of the Mediterranean region and southern Spain, where the instructors have perfected techniques and recipes at the Granada Cooking School in Granada. Dishes and techniques may include making couscous, paella, stuffed mussels, and seafood grilling.

The Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School is a Signature Experience of the Canadian Tourism Commission!

2014 Dates:

MAY 23-25

JUNE 6-8

OCTOBER 10-12

The cost, per person, for Seafood Cookery is CAN $899 for 2014 sessions. The program includes two nights’ accommodation in a Deluxe Junior Suite or Deluxe Room (double occupancy; upgrades available), all meals, and the culinary instruction and field trips (if offered). There is also a 9% service fee. Those not wishing to participate in the culinary program can stay at Trout Point Lodge using the normal room and meal tariffs. A signed copy of Trout Point Lodge Cookbook: Creole Cuisine from New Orleanns to Nova Scotia is included.A 50% deposit is taken at the time of reservation, subject to refund as per Trout Point’s usual cancellation policy.

For information and reservations, please call (902) 761-2142 or e-mail.

A typical weekend culinary vacation schedule:

Friday
3-4:00 pm: Arrival & check-in

4 pm: Introduction,main dining room (wine & cheese)

4:30 pm: Seafood quality and selecting seafood; sustainability

5:30 pm: break

7:00 pm: Cocktails in the great room

7:30 pm: Dinner in Chez la Tousquet

Saturday
8:00 am: Breakfast

9:15 am: Field trip (coast near Yarmouth)

1:00 pm: Lunch at Trout Point Lodge

3:00 pm: Non-heat seafood cookery and seafood smoking; kitchen

4:30 pm: Acadian Rappie Pie; kitchen

7:00 pm: Cocktails in the great room

7:30 pm Dinner

Sunday
8-9:30 am: Breakfast

10:30 am: Elegant and simple seafood cookery (hands on)

11:30 am: Lobster and fresh squid ink pasta making

1:00 pm: Farewell Lunch

Those wishing to arrival a day early or extend their stay are welcome to do so at the regular Trout Point Lodge room rates.

Trout Point Lodge has become the first restaurant in Canada to receive international recognition for its sustainability, with the award of a Three Star rating from the UK-based Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). The SRA conducts an independent assessment based on a questionnaire and follow up evaluation.

The SRA’s assessors were impressed with the exceptional level of sustainability standards across the board at the Lodge, particularly its social and environmental policies, They awarded it the highest possible rating – Three Stars. Trout Point previously had a Two Star rating, but made improvements in supply chain during the 2013 season that resulted in this favourable re-assessment.

The award reflects its commitment to using local, organic, and ethically sourced produce and making substantial efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. “The highest score was achieved in Sustainable Fish where an emphasis on local and sustainable fish and seafood is placed. In Environment Trout Point Lodge achieved its highest score across the SRA’s three pillars of sustainability with 75%. An exceptional approach to Supply Chain led to a perfect score for this section, as well as an excellent approach to recycling.”

The SRA has rated more than 500 restaurants in the UK and launched its Sustainability Rating globally at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards in London in May this year, where Narisawa in Tokyo won the Sustainable Restaurant Award. Restaurants complete a survey covering the SRA’s three main pillars of sustainability, Sourcing, Society and Environment.

The Sunday Times branded the SRA’s rating the Michelin Stars of Sustainability. Mark Linehan, Managing Director of the SRA, said: “Consumers globally want to know that restaurants are taking care of the issues that matter to them. That’s why we decided to launch the rating globally so that wherever you are in the world you can choose a restaurant using the same criteria. We’re delighted that Trout Point Lodge is blazing the trail in Canada and we hope other restaurants will follow their lead.”

Trout Point Lodge is pleased to announce that it has placed number 5 on a list of the world’s top 10 hotel culinary schools just published by Fox News in the United States and curated by Gayot.com.

“Both globetrotting gourmets and rookie cooks should check out the world’s top 10 hotel culinary schools where everyone can take lessons while on holiday,” stated the article.

This Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, wilderness lodge was singled out as embodying cutting edge offerings for tourists: “Rugged wilderness, sustainable food practices and cozy quarters that include freestanding cottages make this Atlantic Canada lodge one of our favorites.” The commentary authored by the food-oriented guide Gayot also praised Trout Point’s “innovative French Acadian cuisine.” The Lodge was the only hotel on the list representing Canada.

The online version of the article can be found at http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/11/08/top-10-hotel-culinary-schools/.
Other hotels among the top 10 include Villa Giona of Verona, Italy, and the Sazon Cooking School at Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Trout Point Lodge has earned 5 stars in the Inn category from Canada Select and is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Gayot was founded by André & Alain Gayot. André Gayot, who with his friends

Henri Gault and Christian Millau coined and promoted the term “Nouvelle Cuisine” in the early 1970s, has been directing sophisticated travelers to the world’s best restaurants, hotels, shops, sightseeing and cultural attractions for more than 45 years. His expertise provided a foundation for Gayot guides in the United States, beginning in 1981.

Alain Gayot, André’s son, participated in the launch of the American guide book series and began researching ways to distribute the content electronically, initially with Minitel technology in the early ’90s, later with partners of the Prodigy network, and finally on the web with AOL and other media companies.

Wine Spectator magazine has granted a 2013 Award of Excellence to Trout Point Lodge for its wine list and wine service. Wine Spectator gives the Award for “lists that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.” Trout Point was noted for its particular strength in wines from France.

2013 is the 5th consecutive year that the Lodge has received the Award.